Some vehicles include speakers that are located at end portions of an instrument panel and adjacent to a windshield. Some of these speakers are mounted on an inner surface of the instrument panel. Conventionally, for example, the speakers are mounted to the inner surface by having an attachment mechanism molded into the instrument panel. In another instance, for example, the speakers are attached to the inner surface via brackets/clips during vehicle assembly. By having to account for these attachment mechanisms in the design of the instrument panel, valuable and limited vehicle space is utilized.
Furthermore, rear portions of many instrument panels slope downward toward the windshield. Speakers are sometimes mounted such that they are angled rearward with respect to the plane of the windshield so that vehicle occupants can hear the sound produced thereby. These factors can contribute to an increased amount of space needed at the bottom of the instrument panel slope to accommodate the speakers as well as any attachment mechanisms associated with them, which can limit styling freedom.